Women in the Pulpit - an Emphatic "Yes!"

 Friends, 

Last weekend we began our “Living the Great Stories” summer theme with a lot of interest and enthusiasm. This Weekend is going to be full, especially on Sunday with the Blood Drive, the choir’s last anthem and the handbell ensemble’s last offering before their summer breaks. And on both Saturday and Sunday we will see a delightful video that Bridget Duffin put together with the information Pastor Hayes collected, honoring our graduates. And Kate Forer will be preaching on the story of Hagar. It will be marvelous.

 

This week, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) met and drilled down into nonsense. Back when I was in college, I served as the Youth Minister at a Southern Baptist Church in Georgia. They were a wonderful congregation and the pastor was a very good mentor for me, since I was an enthusiastic but not particularly wise. During that time, I learned how the SBC worked, as a “cooperative,” where individual church autonomy was respected within the collective work of the larger group (missions, seminaries, etc.). It was a way of organization that many Baptists deeply appreciated. Then came what some called “the Fundamentalist takeover” of the late 1980’s. Seminary professors faced the threat of losing their position if they did not ascribe to a certain, narrow view of biblical inspiration. Individual churches were ousted (in some way, I’m not sure how), because they did not hold to a certain standard of doctrine or practice. As many upset Baptists told me, the church they once loved had become unrecognizable, because of the insistence of a few leading voices. For some time it has been evident that the takeover has succeeded. 

 

The vote this week was to strengthen the SBC’s prohibition on women as church leaders and preachers, voting decisively to add language to its constitution clarifying that its churches do not “affirm, appoint or endorse” women as pastors. And it was not even close. The vote had to be a supermajority (66%) and was closer to 75%. 

 

Honestly, it is hard to believe that this continues to be a matter of conversation, much less that a 75% majority would vote to prohibit women from preaching or serving as pastors. After speaking with a number of delegates, Ruth Graham of the New York Times wrote, “Supporters of the constitutional amendment argued that firmer procedures were necessary, because the acceptance of women pastors often precedes broader theological and cultural shifts to the left, including the acceptance of homosexuality.” As one person put it, “You’re never more than one year away from drift.” 

 

It feels heroic and faithful to draw lines and say, “This side is God’s side; that side is the world’s side.” There are even times when lines should be drawn. It just seems odd to me that gender roles, sexual orientation, and gender identity have become in so many Christian people’s minds the topics on which those lines must be drawn. Jesus spoke so much more about hate, violence, hypocrisy, retribution, and self-righteousness as his topics of great concern. 

 

This year, October 26 will be the 70-year anniversary of when the Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery ordained Margaret Towner as a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Southern Presbyterians – a separate but sister organization until 1983 – ordained Rachel Henderlite at All Souls Presbyterian Church in 1965. I do not say this as a note of self-congratulations. As early as 1889 the Nolin Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (another sister organization) ordained Louisa Woosley to be a minister, but the Cumberland denominational leadership refused to recognize her ordination. Women’s ordination has been a rocky and strongly deliberated journey for many Christian denominations, and of course the Roman Catholic Church continues to have robust conversations over it. 

 

It’s an interesting thing. Once we accept the ordination of women, of the LGBTQ community, of non-cis-gender persons, and begin to see how powerfully God equips and uses them, it is usually just a small matter of time before we begin asking, “What were we thinking?” And until our siblings are able to see a better light, we repent for all of those persons whose gifts and passions we will not be able to receive. 

 

When we attend worship at St. Mark, we are re-affirming your own commitment to being faithful to the God whose gifts were poured out on “each” and “all” on the day of Pentecost. Come, let us worship the God of abundance together.

 

Mark of St. Mark

Summer Series at St. Mark

Friends, 

 

And just like that, the summer months are upon us. Congratulations to those who have completed a year or an entire course of study. Congratulations to those who are getting a well-deserved break. Congratulations to those who continue to work but are taking some time off for rest and restoration. Everybody needs Sabbath rest, and there’s just something about the rhythm of summer that is delightfully different. 

 

The Rhythm of our church life is also different during the summer. Many of our commissions will take at least one month off from their usual meetings. Sunday School teachers have a break until mid-September. The choir will take a well-deserved break from June 14 until after Labor Day. And we will have a specific theme of Intergenerational worship that begins this week. I am pretty excited about it and I think you will be also.

 

We will also spend the summer exploring ways to invite children into worship more fruitfully. Starting on June 20, we will have two tables in “The Well” where children in kindergarten through 3^rd grade are welcome to come and find quiet ways to (let’s be honest here) … endure the sermon on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday mornings, children younger than kindergarten age are welcome to go to the nursery throughout the summer. And children and Youth are encouraged to participate in worship in various ways. They will have opportunities to work with our ushers and greeters; lead parts of our liturgy; help serve communion alongside of our elders; and occasionally help with an interactive way of telling the biblical story. (We’ll start that this week!) 

 

We will hear a lot of songs this summer that are less complicated, easier to sing, and sometime repetitive, so the younger portion of the church will have a better chance of joining in. We’ll also repeat some songs from week to week, in order to help each other build a repertoire of good music. We are aiming for simpler, more inviting ways to say important and meaningful things. It’s all part of being an inclusive church and a bit of a learning curve for those of us who plan worship. 

 

Our summer theme is “Living the Great Stories.” We will visit and revisit many of the great stories from the Old Testament, some of which will be very familiar to you, some less so, but all of them have great meaning that we will explore together. And for each month, we will have a key scripture text, which we will call a “lifeline,” that will express who we are called to be as the body of Christ. 

 

For June, our Key Scripture is Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?” We will express that Key Scripture through songs and liturgy, as we will explore stories about Manna, Hagar, Balaam’s Donkey, and David and Goliath. So, for example, our closing song throughout the month of June will have the lyrics, “When you walk from here, when you walk from here: Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care. 

 

What a wonderful aspiration for all of us to hold as we enter these summer months.

 

See you in worship, 

Mark of St. Mark  

PENTECOST!

 It's Pentecost, y'all! Wear Red! 

As many of you know, I was raised in a Pentecostal church, with heavy emphasis on the excitement and power the story in Acts, chapter 2. For many reasons, I stepped away from the Pentecostal church but I continue to find reasons to embrace the story of the Day of Pentecost and discover new meaning in it. 

 

One of the first large decisions one makes in interpreting, embracing, and proclaiming the story of Pentecost is how to contextualize it. 

- Do we read Genesis 11 and interpret the one-ness of Pentecost as an alternative to the confusion-and-diffusion of Babel? 

- Do we read Leviticus 23 and interpret Pentecost as the fiftieth-day celebration concluding the Festival of Weeks, so it becomes a story of God's abundance? 

- Do we read Leviticus 25 and interpret Pentecost as an expression of Jubilee, with all of the redistributive justice that goes with it? 

- Do we read Ezekiel 37 and interpret Pentecost as the Divine Breath, breathing new life into the dry bones of a tragic killing field? 

- Do we read Joel 2 and interpret Pentecost as a symbol of the 'last days,' as Peter does in his sermon that follows? 

- Do we read Acts 1:1-11, and interpret the power of Pentecost as the alternative to the disciples’ view of power when the ask about "restoring the kingdom" to Israel? 

- Do we read Acts 3 and interpret Pentecost through Peter's great claim, "I have no silver or gold, but what I have I freely give you - rise up and walk"? 

- Do we read Acts 6 and interpret Pentecost through the newly invented-by-necessity office of Deacons, as a recognition of the variety of spiritual gifts? 

- Do we read about Stephen's death in Acts 7 and interpret Pentecost as the power that the early church had to give new meaning to the Greek word martyr, or 'witness'? 

- Do we read Acts 10 and interpret Pentecost through the peculiar image of a giant net/sheet/whatever, also coming down from heaven, with all manner of clean and unclean critters mixing it up, and hearing the words, "Let's eat!"? 

- Do we read I Corinthians 12 and 14 or Romans 12 and interpret Pentecost through the "one body, many parts" language of Paul's letters? 

 

My goodness! It will take a lifetime to experience the many dimensions of this story! Let’s get our red on and start exploring.

 

Mark of St. Mark

A Message from Kate Forer

 Friends,

 As promised last week, I am happily giving my Friday Extra over to Kate Forer, to introduce herself and her ministry to you a bit more. 

Happy reading! 

Mark of St. Mark

What the heck is spiritual direction? ...You might be wondering….

In response, let me ask you a few questions:

When was the last time you sat down and honestly talked to someone about your relationship with God? 

About the state of your soul?

About ways to go deeper - to grow more fully into the person God has created you to be?

About what gets in the way, for you, of being your full, true self?

If you have someone with whom you have such honest and open conversations, then that is wonderful. But most of us don’t. And many of us have never even thought to ask those questions in the first place. 

Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian practice that allows an individual to explore their spiritual life with a seasoned companion. So much of our life is lived busily on the surface - we go to our jobs, we take care of our children or our parents, we try to find time for friends and recreation - and often the deeper questions of the heart are left unattended. Spiritual Direction is a chance to attend to these matters, to fully engage in one's life, to discern how the Spirit is moving and calling. 

A few months ago I let Pastor Mark know that I was starting a spiritual direction practice (something I had dreamed of doing when I left full-time local church ministry. Just a quick aside: being a full-time senior pastor, as I was, does not leave enough time and space for these kinds of conversations with congregants - not when you have close to 300 of them). Mark quickly asked if I was interested in having office space at St. Mark. “YES!” I responded. I have been attending St. Mark off and on for several years now, and the idea of being planted within such a wonderful congregation seemed like a dream come true. 

And so here I am! I am meeting people one-on-one in my office for such conversations as mentioned above. I am looking forward to working with the St. Mark staff at some point to plan retreats (something I have done for many years and for which I have a real passion) and I’m hoping to be more involved in this lovely community. 

From two decades of pastoring, I know how hard church communities like St. Mark work. I know you are busy with your commissions and your service work - not to mention careers, kids, parents, etc. To do the work of being God’s hands and feet in the world we all need times to replenish and nurture the soul. Remember, even Jesus escaped crowds to spend time with God. I hope that I can offer a sense of nourishment and encouragement as you continue your profound work of loving and serving this broken world.

If you’d like to learn more about working with me, I invite you to visit my website: https://www.thetendedpath.org/

You can also always email me at kate@stmarkpresbyterian.org if you have any questions or suggestions.

I am so very happy (and grateful!) to be a part of you!

Blessings,

Kate 

Catching Up, pt. 3

 Friends,  

For the last two weeks, I’ve been updating you on things that are happening here at St. Mark. Today, I want to share some news and then encourage you to consider something. 

 

First, the news. Many of you have commented on how much you appreciate Kate Forer, who has preached for us on two occasions and has been part of our worship leadership on other occasions. I mentioned some time ago that Kate has initiated a new ministry as a Spiritual Director, which I will invite for her to describe for us in more detail in next week’s Extra. On Tuesday, our Session has voted to offer Kate an office on our campus for her practice and in return she will become part of our staff. As such, Kate will participate in our worship services, help with our 20-30 Something Young Adult group, and offer opportunities for introductory consultations with anyone interested in the work of Spiritual Direction. Kate also has a passion for leading retreats and is open to doing so with us. I am very excited about this door that is opening for us. In some ways, I feel like our staff is taking shape in a beautiful way. 

 

With Kate working alongside of Ann Scott, our Parish Nurse, and Gretchen Carrilo, our Parish Counselor, we have a very strong team of holistic care of the body, mind, and spirit. While it is never possible, or even desirable, to fully separate the body, mind, and spirit, at times we tend to them separately and at times jointly. Anyone who has dealt with high blood pressure knows that the physical expression of our circulatory system can indicate a high degree of stress. We may take a pill to address the physical symptom and speak with a therapist to address the stress. The two actions are not exclusive, but complementary, because our circulatory, lymphatic, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems are not fully separable from our emotions, hopes, will, fears, and desires. Whether we need to name it, sleep on it, or pray about it, our trio of Parish Nurse, Parish Counselor, and Spiritual Director can provide resources and encouragement. Thanks be to God.   

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Now, the consideration. In worship, you have heard about our plans for an Intergenerational summer camp, August 10-14, called MARC: Music, Art, Rhythm, and Community. I believe this is going to be a marvelous week. We are planning ways for the young and the young at heart to work together for a week of learning, community, play, and worship. Have you ever wanted to ring bells, but don’t read music? We will learn how. Have you ever wondered why we call a room “The Bonhoeffer Room?” We will explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life together. Have you ever sat in our Memorial Garden and wondered who this or that person was, whose name is engraved in one of the shutters? We will spend some time there and explore what it means to be part of the community of saints. And did you know that of the nearly one hundred varieties of lilies in the world (the genus Lilium), about twenty are native to California? We will “consider the lilies” during this week. All these explorations will be intentionally intergenerational, providing opportunities for young and young at heart to learn together. 

 

I encourage you to consider being part of our Summer MARC. You can contact SueJeanne Koh here for more information or to indicate your interest in helping. It has been a while since we have had a week-long summer event, so we don’t have either “the usual suspects” or “the usual process” to lean on. And I say that approvingly. This is a new opportunity, and I hope you will consider being a part of it. 

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark

 

Catching Up, pt. 2

 Last week I shared some of the things that are happening in our church life, with the promise to add more. This week we have some news from our Mission Commission. I will describe our Mission Commission first, then share the news. 

 Our Mission Commission “initiates, guides, and oversees the missional involvement of the church with regard to both local and broader mission relationships.” The Commission also “oversees the allocation of St. Mark’s mission spending.” This year, our elders designated $155,000 for the Mission Commission to allocate. $60,000 goes to the General Mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA); $30,000 goes to our Deacons; and $5,000 to our Peace and Justice Commission. The Commission then allocates the other $60,000 based on ongoing missional partnerships and specific opportunities to serve that arise. A good portion of those funds are left unallocated until the latter part of the year, in case there is a disaster or emergency that needs immediate attention (and there often is). Over the last few years, the Commission has tried to focus on deepening the relationships we have with our mission partners and maximizing the impact that our spending has on those in need. 

 

This month, we chose to fund a “50 for 50” campaign through Orange County United Way.  

 

Since its inception nine years ago, I have served on the Leadership Council and Executive Committee of United to End Homelessness, an arm of the United Way. Homelessness continues to be one of Orange County’s largest challenges, driven mostly by the lack of affordable housing in our area. Last year, 72% of people living in homeless shelters completed the application requirements to qualify for housing, but only 1 in 12 were able to obtain housing because of the lack of units available. Working with public and private groups like the Apartment Association of Orange County and the Orange County Continuum of Care leaders, United to End Homelessness is a leading voice in the county for housing justice.  

 

Among the houseless persons in our county, there are some identifiable groups: Seniors; Transitional Age Youth (who have aged out of foster care); and Veterans are the most common. The needs for each of these groups are different and the potential resources for them are also. This year Orange County United Way has initiated a “50 for 50” campaign, with the goal of encouraging 50 community leaders to house 50 Veteran households and provide a full year of support to ensure stability. For $25,000, the campaign will offer landlords incentives, such as deposits, holding fees, and risk mitigation funds; and offer Veterans housing navigation, furniture, and twelve months of case management with wraparound support services. Once the Veteran is housed securely, their case managers can help them secure additional avenues of support that will ensure that they stay housed. The one-time donation of $25,000 will get a houseless Veteran over the initial hurdle of securing housing. You can read more about it here. This month, St. Mark joined the campaign with a $25,000 donation. 

 

As far as I know, we are the first faith community to join this campaign and now I am using this action to encourage other faith communities to imagine ways of taking part. I also want to encourage you to consider if you should become part of the “50 for 50” campaign, either as an individual or within a charitable group that you are part of. If you have any interest in doing so or want to learn more, please let me know.  

 

There are so many needs and so many worthy organizations trying to meet those needs in our area and throughout the world. I appreciate how our Mission Commission endeavors to match our resources with those needs in ways that reflect our commitments to justice and compassion. 

 

See you in worship, 
Mark of St. Mark

 

Catching Up, pt.1

 Friends, 

 

Last weekend, we welcomed five new members into our church family and this weekend we will welcome four more. What a joy it is to welcome new members into our church. They bring gifts, wisdom, and curiosity. They have come to us by dint of God’s grace and calling, so now when we say, “St. Mark” we are speaking of them as well as those members who have been here for many years. What joy.

 

This week and next, I will lift up on a few things that are happening in our church life. 

 

We re-started our Brew Theology gatherings this week after a brief interlude, with a robust group and an engaging conversation around “My story, our story, God’s story.” 

 

Our Sunday morning worship continues to be powerful and meaningful, particularly with the music ministry under Ryan Yoder’s leadership and with Alicia Adams’ accompaniment. In addition, Debbie Fetterhoff and Alexei Rehorn have been leading our beautiful Handbell Ensemble. We always welcome new voices and ringers, so please feel free to contact the church office if you are interested in sharing your gifts. 

 

On Saturdays, our worship is very similar in its content but has a different vibe in its form. We have a smaller ensemble of musicians and singers, who show up faithfully each week to empower the music and liturgy with Ron Levy as our pianist and music director. Our “Life Together” gatherings and occasional “Meet Me at Muldoon’s” events (this Saturday!) have made this gathering more intimate and welcoming. 

 

Our Preschool is also doing exceptionally well. Under the excellent direction of Monica Heredia and Noemi Carrillo, we are operating at full capacity, offering tremendous opportunities for families and children to engage together in a wholistic, compassionate approach to early education. Our Governing Commission (5 church members with the director) and Parent Advisory Council (which also includes church members with parents) are doing great work are always exploring other ways of building our relationships. 

 

Another exciting thing that is happening these days is our exploration, with students at Cal-Poly, of ways to enhance and maintain our property. We love our canyon and our Facilities Commission have recently added Monarch butterfly habitats in its apron. Now, we are looking at more ways to lower fire risks, as well as ways to enhance the grounds surrounding the preschool. The process is early yet, but it has been wonderful to see landscape architectural students in conversation with our Facilities Commission about our commitment to environmental sustainability. 

 

There’s too much more to share, more to celebrate, and more to say, but for now I will just encourage you to read our 2025 Annual report and marvel at how faithful God has been among us as how faithful so many of our members have been in response. It is a joy to serve here.

 

See you in worship,

Mark of St. Mark